Follow the map marker, either sneaking past or just killing all the "cannibals" you encounter. Once you enter the Ranger Station, a small cutscene occurs. Without explaining what's going on, the man in charge there (Thomas Ritter) asks you to check the nearby cabins for survivors, and advises climbing up the water tower and have a look around first. The objective ends after the conversation

Climb up the water tower just outside the Ranger Station. Enter aim mode and position your crosshair over the question marks until the progress indicator is full. Continue checking sites until you get the message "Survey Complete". As the objective is completed, you will hear gun shots in the distance.

Climb back down and begin searching all of the tents, cabins, and the public restroom for items and weapons. Search the campsites first, as you can find Large Backpack for more inventory space. If your pack is full, drop items off in the Ranger Station Supply Locker.

This objective triggers if you enter the area near the lake side cabins (see picture in Notes section) before completing objective Ranger Station below.
Search all three cabins to complete the objective.

Head on down the path to the river. You will see a woman being attacked by a horde of cannibals. Run down and help her finish them off. After the three are safe, a cutscene will start where she introduces herself as Maya Torres, a soldier. The objective ends at this point

You now have two playable characters to choose from. You can switch to Maya or stick with Marcus. Either way, head on back to the Ranger Station.

As soon as you open the door to the Ranger Station, you will find all survivors inside dead. Ed decides to search Thomas' body for his ID. Thomas reanimates and pounces on Ed. You regain control at this point, run over and finish off Thomas. Take everything Marcus and Maya can carry from the Supply Locker, and store the rest in the Old Pickup for later retrieval.

This objective triggers as soon as you are in the vicinity of the Industrial Supply Store. Ed reveals he took Thomas' radio and truck key, and hand them to you. At this point it is possible to get in the truck. A new objective marker appears and Lily Ritter will come on the radio looking for her dad. You explain your situation to her and she instructs you to go to the Church Of The Ascension.

Drive on down the road until you reach the bridge. Exit the truck to trigger the cutscene. Head down into the river, then head downstream until you find a ridge you can climb up. As soon as you climb up to the road, the mission ends.

By skipping the cabins and rescuing Maya right after surveying the area, the player can hear extra dialog lines between Marcus and Ed. On the practical side, having two backups makes it faster and safer to clear and scavenge the area.

After the objective "Escape" starts you cannot switch between characters.

Three small cabins next to the lake can be searched. They cannot be seen from the water tower, thus cannot be surveyed, but are visible on the map.

Before getting to the Church of the Ascension, putting things in or taking them out of the Supply Locker does not affect Influence.

The player and the AI-controlled characters (Ed and Maya/Marcus) are immortal up until you cross the bridge in the Escape objective.

Marcus: (winded, tense) You okay?Ed: (winded, checking himself for injury) One of those psychos tried to bite me, but yeah. Yeah. I'm fine.Marcus: Well, we can't stay out here in the open, that's for damn sure.Ed: Ranger station?Marcus: Ranger station. Maybe we can find some help there.Ed: (still catching breath, now almost annoyed) What the hell, man? We're gone two weeks and - and what? Everybody takes up cannibalism?Marcus: Beats me.

As Marcus and Ed head towards the Ranger Station

Marcus: Hold up.Ed: Shit, these guys look messed up too!Marcus: Yeah. Stay low and keep quiet--maybe we can get past them without being spotted.

As Marcus and Ed nears the Ranger Station

Thomas Ritter: Here, help me move this against the wall. We need to clear a space for the wounded.Thomas Ritter: Wendell, start doing an inventory of whatever medical supplies we've got. We're gonna need them.

Inside Ranger Station

Thomas Ritter: How's the leg?Sheila Brookstone: The swelling's not going down. I think it's broken.Thomas Ritter: Don't worry about it. We'll just... borrow a car before we head home.Marcus: You think anybody else up here survived?Thomas Ritter: That's why I'm here. You and Wendell made it, so did those other two. Who knows who else is hiding in a cabin up here?Marcus: I guess so.

After surveying the area

Marcus: You hear that?Ed: Gunshots, yeah.Marcus: Guess we're not the only ones having a bad day.

After checking out the cabins

Marcus: Okay, I think that's about all there is to find here.Ed: So what now? Head back to the station, or go check the lake cabins?Marcus: Or we go check on those gunshots we heard.Ed: Right. Kinda hoping you'd forgotten about that.

On the way towards the gunshot

Ed: Remind me again why we're heading toward the sound of gunfire?Marcus: Well, I haven't seen any crazies with guns. So I figure whoever's up there shooting, they must be normal. And in trouble.Ed: Sure, sure, could be. Or we're about to gatecrash a redneck wedding. Just saying.Marcus: I'll take my chances.Ed: Spoken like a man who's never been to a wedding in Trumbull County.

After helping Maya

Ed: Holy shit, are you okay?Maya: (sarcastic) You mean aside from being lost in the woods, attacked by psychopaths, and watching two of my best friends die?Maya: (sarcastic) Yeah. I'm peachy.Ed: Sorry I asked....Maya: So. Is it this bad everywhere?Marcus: Man, I hope not. We've got some survivors back at the ranger station that seem to know what's going on, but we didn't have time for the orientation.Maya: Well then, let's get the hell back there. You want to take point, or should I?

After helping Maya BEFORE checking out the cabins

Ed: Holy shit, are you okay?Maya: (sarcastic) You mean aside from being lost in the woods, attacked by psychopaths, and watching two of my best friends die?Maya: (sarcastic) Yeah. I'm peachy.Ed: Sorry I asked....Maya: So. Is it this bad everywhere?Marcus: Man, I hope not. We've got some survivors back at the ranger station that seem to know what's going on, but we didn't have time for the orientation.Maya: Well then, let's get the hell back there.Ed: Love the idea, but we kinda got (snide toward Marcus) "volunteered" to check a couple other places for survivors first.Marcus: Just think of it as payback for that time you "volunteered" us for the running of the bulls in Pamplona.Maya: Okay then. You want to take point, or should I?

On the way back to Ranger Station

Maya: Keep your eyes open. I don't want to get ambushed.Ed: I don't think 'ambush' is these guys' MO. More like 'run at you screaming and try to eat your face.'

Back at the Ranger Station

Marcus: What the hell?Maya: I thought you said you had survivors holed up here!Marcus: They were fine a minute ago!Maya: Well, obviously not any more!Ed: Guys, guys! Come on, we gotta at least check the place. Somebody might have survived.
(After a few moments)

Ed: [Sighs]. He's gone.

Marcus: Yeah.Ed: Poor bastard. Let's see if he's got a wallet on him or something.

Marcus: What the hell, Ed?!Ed: (indignant) To check his ID, for Christ's sake!

After Ed gets attacked by the re-animated Thomas Ritter

Ed: That guy was dead. Swear to God, he was dead. How the hell does...Marcus: I don't know, man. Doesn't make sense.Maya: We can't stay here. Come on, let's grab what we can and get moving.

As the player gets near the Industrial Warehouse with a truck parked next to it

Ed: So... where we going?

Marcus: I don't know. I guess we just head to town, try to find... somebody.Ed: Yeah. Or...Maya: Or?Ed: Well, I kinda took that guy's walkie-talkie. Maybe we can raise somebody on that?

Marcus: Jesus, Ed, why'd you do that?Ed: I dunno, I figured if he had a radio, there must be somebody on the other end.Maya: So you robbed a dead guy. And you expect his friends to help us out?Ed: Who says they're his friends? I mean, maybe they didn't even really like the guy.Lily: (radio) Dad? Dad, are you there?Ed: Oh, shit.Marcus: (uncertain, talking to the radio) Hello? Can you hear me?Marcus: We need help! Everybody's gone crazy, some guy freakin' mauled my friend!Lily: (radio) Can you make it down to Spencer's Mill? Some of use are holed up at the church.Lily: (radio) If your friend doesn't look too dicey, we'll let you in.Marcus: (confirming) The church in Spencer's Mill. We're on our way. (Confused at her word choice) We'll, uh, try not to look too dicey.

At the bridge

Marcus: So much for getting across here.Ed: Great. So we're stuck up here playing cannibal family picnic until somebody bothers to come looking for us?Maya: Maybe not. Let's head down the bank--might be a place to cross on foot.

Marcus: Where'd you come from anyways?Maya: Me and a couple guys from my unit came up here to do some deer hunting.Ed: You in the Army?Maya: You don't miss much, do you?Maya: Anyway, we were on our way back when these psychos rushed us out of goddamn nowhere.Marcus: What happened?Maya: You see me? You see Colton or Strand? Do the math.

Ed and Marcus' backstory

Maya: So what about you two? What are you doing up here, romantic getaway?Marcus: Fishing trip. Sort of our annual 'get out of the rat race and decompress' ritual.Ed: Also our 'get hit on by hot bait shop clerks' ritual.Marcus: She wasn't that hot, Ed.Ed: Don't listen to him, he's just jealous.Marcus: She had a moustache!Ed: Just a little one...